The Joy of Purpose | Man-Sask Mission & Vision Revealed

The Joy of Purpose | Man-Sask Mission & Vision Revealed

When have you felt most alive and fulfilled?

What were you doing? What were you thinking? Who were you with?

Was it a single day like the birth of your first child, the first few months of falling in love, the years of a pursuing a degree, career or hobby, or simply the moment you first glimpsed Jesus’ love in all its glory?

Whether short or extended, I’d wager each of them had a sense of purpose at their centre. Your life meant something. Who you were and what you were doing had a sense of mission and significance.

Seeking this meaning in life can be elusive at times, but God promises that each of us have a purpose;

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jer 29:11).”

And how do we learn of these plans, of our purpose? The next two verses reveal it.

“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

In short, when we seek and find God, we will find HIS plans and HIS purpose for us.Purpose is rooted in relationship.

God’s Mission, Not Ours

I was reminded of this reality the first several times I asked our new president, David Ripley, about his vision for our conference. It’s a common question, but he gave an uncommon answer.

“I don’t know.”

Instead, he explained he wanted our board to seek God’s vision.

“We do not want my Mission and Vision, we want God’s. The future God desires for us is the one that He will empower. Once we know what God wants us to become, then we can go boldly towards it no matter how big it may seem. God will resource what He wills us to be”.

Part of the joy of living a life of purpose is knowing it is shared with others. The church is God’s ordained community to support, strengthen and help fully realize God’s purposes for every person on earth. Jesus gave a complete mission for us individually and as a community when He said,

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matt 28:18-20).”

Each community is unique and must discover God’s unique ways to carry out the Gospel Commission in their context. The Man-Sask Conference is a large, unique community and it was one of David Ripley’s first tasks to convene the Conference Board to seek God’s Mission and Vision for our Conference.

The words of Jeremiah 29:12-13 could summarize the approach. Praying and seeking God’s will with our whole heartsover the weekend of May 27-29 started a process of gathering ideas and prayerfully condensing them into God’s Mission and Vision for the Conference. After 7 drafts and prayerful input from board members, about a month later, the Board voted a final Mission and Vision that we believe God led us to and that it is up to Him to accomplish in His willing servants.

We Need You!

This is an exciting time. We believe that God has a divine purpose for the Man-Sask Conference. We also believe that God has a divine purpose for YOU. We believe that God’s purpose for you is uniquely designed to contribute a part to his Mission and Vision for the Man-Sask Conference.

Imagine the excitement of us all pulling together, seeking God daily and seeing His divine intervention to make His will a reality in each of our lives!

Everyone in our church families, members and guests, young and old alike, will be needed and valued to accomplish God’s Mission and Vision. We invite you to join us in the grand adventure of following where God leads.

Please prayerfully consider the Mission statement and 12 Vision statements at the link below. Ask God to show you your part, your niche within this broad plan.

We will be sharing much more about Mission and Vision over the weeks and months to come. Conference officials will be meeting with Pastors and Volunteer Ministry Directors to discern how to make the Mission and Vision practical in terms of goals, objectives and timelines across the conference and in each church.

We solicit your prayers, your feedback and your questions to help us continue to seek God’s fulfillment of this Mission and Vision. (communications@mansaskadventist.ca, 306 244 9700)

You are each a part of the team. Each of you has a role to play, no matter how small it may seem. Please continue to seek God daily in your life in prayer, His Word and in service and you can be confident He will reveal where He is already working in your life and desires you to join Him.